close to appropriate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "close to appropriate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is nearly suitable or fitting for a particular situation or context. Example: "The dress code for the event is formal, but a smart casual outfit would be close to appropriate."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Even though the time being spent per patient may be close to appropriate, participants feel there is a lack of individual attention during the rounds.

BMC Medical Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The World Bank is increasing support, and the United States Congress is close to appropriating about $2 billion, more than half of it for treatment.

The New York Times

The charge against Powers carries a penalty of $1,000, which Ms. Coakley said "does not seem to be even close to an appropriate punishment".

The New York Times

'In contrast to the situation 18 months ago, and assuming growing markets are open to us, my sense is that we are for now reasonably close to an appropriate adjustment.

The New York Times

His language, reading and general learning — all of which hold extra challenges for a child with hearing loss — were close to age appropriate.

The New York Times

He used a hot start to take a two-hole lead, but while his opponent, Brendan Jones, was hitting just about every part of the course but the fairway while Woods stayed fairly close to the appropriate spots, Woods could not make any headway on Jones.

The New York Times - Sports

When this subgrid is properly chosen, at least one of the scanned subgrid points is close to the appropriate LCC setting, and therefore, the receiver operates in the linear regime and gives useful power detector readings.

EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems

Mitr Phol's "return" of the land to the Cambodian government looks far more like an attempt to "cut and run" from the problem than anything close to an appropriate mitigation strategy -- after all, Mitr Phol itself loudly claims that the Cambodian government was the key bad actor in the original land grab.

Huffington Post

Engineering design problems involve meeting system's performance requirements such as reliability which is in close relation to appropriate selection of components and determination of a system level architecture.

Applied Mathematics and Computation

Close attention to appropriate infection control measures in this setting is important for preventing direct and indirect transmission of pathogens between animals, as well as transmission of zoonotic pathogens between animals and people, in order to help protect the health of patients, staff, clients and other members of the public with whom these individuals may have contact.

BMC Veterinary Research

And what if there are no family or friends close to the most appropriate place to downsize?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "close to appropriate" when you want to convey that something nearly meets the required standards or is almost suitable, without fully achieving it. This softens the assertion and indicates a degree of approximation.

Common error

Avoid using "close to appropriate" when something is definitively appropriate. Overstating nearness can dilute your message and suggest uncertainty where none exists.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "close to appropriate" functions as a qualifier, specifically an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a state of near suitability. It suggests something is almost, but not entirely, fitting or suitable. Ludwig AI indicates the expression is correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

35%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "close to appropriate" is a versatile and commonly used qualifier that indicates something is nearly suitable or fitting. As Ludwig AI confirms, the expression is correct. It's seen across a range of contexts, from scientific research to news reports, and serves to convey an approximation without fully committing to a perfect fit. To ensure clarity, avoid using it when something is definitively appropriate and remember that it is an adjective phrase useful for showing how near a thing is to being appropriate. Overall, "close to appropriate" is a valuable addition to any writer's toolkit for expressing nuanced degrees of suitability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost suitable

Indicates nearness to being suitable but not fully so.

nearly fitting

Suggests an approximation of being a good fit.

approaching suitability

Highlights the direction towards becoming suitable.

in the vicinity of proper

Implies spatial proximity to being proper or correct.

bordering on acceptable

Suggests barely meeting the criteria for acceptance.

verging on apt

Conveys nearing the state of being appropriate or fitting.

akin to fitting

Indicates a resemblance to being suitable or appropriate.

resembling adequacy

Highlights a likeness in terms of being sufficient or satisfactory.

on the verge of right

Suggests being close to correctness but not quite there.

not far from ideal

Indicates a state of being reasonably close to perfection or the ideal.

FAQs

How can I use "close to appropriate" in a sentence?

You can use "close to appropriate" to describe something that almost meets the required standard. For example, "While the suggestion wasn't perfect, it was "close to appropriate" for the situation".

What are some alternatives to "close to appropriate"?

Alternatives include "almost suitable", "nearly fitting", or "approaching suitability". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "close to appropriate" formal or informal?

The phrase "close to appropriate" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its versatility makes it useful in a wide range of writing styles.

What's the difference between "appropriate" and "close to appropriate"?

"Appropriate" means suitable or fitting for a particular purpose, person, occasion etc. "Close to appropriate" indicates that something is nearly suitable but not quite fully so. This creates a less committal claim.